    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book III)]
    [October 8, 2004]
    [Page 2421]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at a Presidential Debate Watch Party in Ballwin, Missouri
    October 8, 2004

        The President. Thank you all for coming. Thanks for staying up so
    late. Anybody got any questions? [Laughter]
        Audience member. We love Laura!
        The President. Thank you all for coming. Laura said, ``Don't talk too long tonight.'' [Laughter] I
    said, ``Okay.'' [Laughter] But I do want to thank you all very much.
    There's no doubt in my mind, with your help, we'll carry Missouri again
    and win in November.
        So tonight I was telling the people why I think they ought to put me
    back in there for 4 more years, but I didn't get the line I really
    wanted to say, which was that the main reason to put me back in was so
    that Laura would be the First Lady for 4 more
    years.
        Audience members. Laura! Laura! Laura!
        Audience member. We love you, Laura!
        The President. Tomorrow morning, I'm waking up first thing in the
    morning to help the next Governor of Missouri, Matt Blunt, and the next Lieutenant Governor of Missouri, Peter
    Kinder. I want to thank them both. See you in
    the morning. I'll see you in the morning. Make sure the eggs aren't
    runny. [Laughter]
        Then we're off to Iowa, then Minnesota. I'm fired up. I'm looking
    forward to this.
        I thank all the candidates who are here. I really want to thank
    those of you who are putting up the signs and making the phone calls and
    doing all the work.
        We had a good debate tonight. There's clear differences of opinion.
    One thing I hope you could tell is I know what I believe. I know why I
    need to lead this country to make this world a safer place and a more
    hopeful place for every American--for every single American.
        Our dream is for America to fulfill its promise for every single
    person who lives here. There's no doubt in my mind, over the next 4
    years this world will be a safer place, that we'll achieve the peace
    that we long for, for our children and grandchildren, and that the great
    promise of America, the great hope of our great country will be extended
    to every corner of this great land.
        I can't thank you all enough for being here.
        Audience member. Thank you!
        The President. May God bless you, and may God continue to bless our
    country. Thank you all.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:26 p.m. at the Greensfelder Recreation
    Complex. In his remarks, he referred to Missouri Secretary of State Matt
    Blunt, candidate for Missouri Governor; and Missouri State Senator Peter
    Kinder, candidate for Missouri Lieutenant Governor. A tape was not
    available for verification of the content of these remarks.